(2) Earlier this year our lab helped with an investigation aimed to
provide species identification on subsamples taken from a hammer for the OntarioSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) and Toronto Police
Service. Somebody was suspected to have killed a dog with a hammer. Hair and blood samples could perhaps confirm that the hammer owned by the suspect was the weapon.

Close-up showing a hair that was used to retrieve DNA

The lab was able to retrieve several short length sequences still long enough to be reliably matched to reference sequences of the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris. They were also able to retrieve some human DNA from the handle (not surprisingly) which could have been used for a STR profile.

However, that wasn't even necessary as the suspect confessed when confronted with the initial evidence provided by DNA Barcoding.